Does a prop shaft count as a suspension component

[MaxRothery]

For those who know of my stupid questions, this one may be the most stupid.
And yes, this does seem like the wrong place to ask
Does a half shaft count as a suspension component in the DVLAs eyes?

Got a plan for AWD conversion and relying on it not counting as a modified suspension so I can modify the subframe which is considered the front axle

[MaxRothery]

Iva Barchetta said:

Prop shaft..no

Half shaft.....no.

Both part of transmission.

Transmission? Thought it would be either axle or suspension

[MaxRothery]

Variomatic said:

It depends on the suspension layout, but generally the shaft isn't part of the suspension. Afaik there's no front suspension out there that uses the shaft, but some forms of rear suspension use the drive shaft as the lower link / arm.

The acid test is - if you removed the shaft and reassembled everything else, would the wheel stay where it's meant to be? If it would then the shaft isn't suspension. If it'd try to fall over or move about then it is.

Would either replacing my front hubs with FWD ones or modifications to the current hubs be considered as altering the suspension?

[MaxRothery]

PanzerCommander said:

MaxRothery said:

Would either replacing my front hubs with FWD ones or modifications to the current hubs be considered as altering the suspension?

The way I understand/interpret it is for example a conversion from leaf springs to coil springs would count as changing the suspension under the points rule. Or another way of looking at it even if the suspension components were non OEM as long as they are the same type and used the same pickup points as the factory setup it doesn't come under the points rule. Insurers have to be told of course.

If I were interpreting the rules I'd be looking at a hub change as modifying the axle.

because the car id be converting came in both FWD and RWD, the hubs used can be OEM but the hubs are hard to find so would most likely modify the current hubs to accommodate the bearing carrier section from another car (most likely a RWD hub from an IRS car)

and if it is axle, then ill be modifying that anyway as the front sub frame counts as the axle which ill be drilling holes in

[MaxRothery]

Countdown said:

PanzerCommander said:

<snip>

If the suspension was Macpherson strut before the new hub was installed and remains Macpherson strut after the new hub was installed has it actually been changed?<snip>

I may be being way too simplistic here but

the hub is part of the suspension leg
it's been changed for a different type of hub
ergo the suspension has changed

No?

the suspension id double wishbone and will be staying double wishbone, id just be changing/modifying the hub.

and I wouldn't be changing the steering rack, the only thing keeping this road legal is the steering rack and suspension as axls will be swapped and modified to suit

[MaxRothery]

PanzerCommander said:

Countdown said:

I may be being way too simplistic here but

the hub is part of the suspension leg
it's been changed for a different type of hub
ergo the suspension has changed

No?

I don't know, I'm just interpreting rules which are imho woolly. As I said if you asked me to list the suspension components on my own car I wouldn't even think about mentioning the wheel hubs.

I think it would count as its what the suspension components connect to, therefore modifying the half shaft to fit the hub would be the way to go. also, rather than converting the RWD version to AWD, converting the FWD to AWD as the suspension is the same, but its just a tubular axle rather than a live axle.

[MaxRothery]

So, is the wheel hubs part of the suspension?

[MaxRothery]

dlockhart said:

from the definition above the wheel bolts are part of the suspension

Cheers

[MaxRothery]

Slidingpillar said:

I'd like to think DVLA will look at the bigger picture. The OP has never said what car. If the real point is that the correct hub is pretty much the same as the replacement, then I'd hope neither they nor the insurance company will care.

But if in the course of a hub swap, the suspension method changes, then they would certainly count it as such. Not knowing the car though, can't say.

Quite a few Lotuses use the driveshaft as an upper suspension link, but if you fit a modern CV type to miss out the rubber do-nuts you probably should tell the insurance company, but again, I'd be surprised if any loading was applied. I'd not even think of telling DVLA rightly or wrongly.

If the hubs were to change, the suspension would be left in altered, it would have the exact same layout and angles, the only thing that's different is the hole the spindle sits in. On the later car, it's tapered and small to hold the rear bearing, on the earlier type, it's wider to accommodate the driveshaft